Food steamers are well known devices for the preparation of food. A conventional food steamer generally comprises a food preparation chamber and a steam generator including a water boiler. Foodstuffs are placed in the food preparation chamber and the steam generator communicates with the food preparation chamber via a steam passageway through which steam generated by the steam generator is expressed into the food preparation chamber.
In general, an outlet from the steam passageway into the food preparation chamber is positioned in a lower part of the food preparation chamber so that steam exhausted into the steam passageway flows upwardly through the food preparation chamber, and is generally exhausted from the food preparation chamber through vents formed in the upper end of the food preparation chamber.
However, a problem with a conventional arrangement of food steamers is that contaminants from the food may enter the steam generator through the steam passageway. These contaminants are generally difficult to remove from the steam generator and so are known to form residues inside the steam generator that may reduce the function of the food generator, as well as cause bad odors and/or bacterial growth. This may lead to a health risk for a user of the food steamer. The residue may also adhere to the heating elements leading to the formation of burned foodstuffs that may contain substances that even in small concentration may pose a health hazard.